The Order of the Cipher
by autobotgirl12328
Summary: While years have passed since the adventures of Gravity Falls, Dipper and Mabel continue to search for the same adventure and mystery. Finding an unforgettable face though was not what they were hoping for.
1. I

The Order of the Cipher

Xszkgui lmv: Gsv girzmtov rm gsv givu

The sun shone brightly on the afternoon, sparkling through the trees along the path. School had let out a few hours prior, afterschool activities letting out currently, Dipper found himself heading home alone, along a path leading him up Sausal Creek, running just along the dividing line between Oakmore and Piedmont. It was one of his favorite trails as of late, reminding him of the adventures of Gravity Falls not too long ago.

With bag thrown over his shoulder, cap bravely resting upon his head, he managed to make his way across the jagged path in hopes of finding a picturesque spot in order to bring home to Mabel. Though the days before had been drearily rainy, the sun finally basked the trees and dirt with a summer like glow that would no doubt spark Mabel's memory just as it is for Dipper.

Finally, he came across a break in the path, which he had only walked once before. It called to him like a beacon, glowing almost unnaturally in the sun and begging him forward. Pulling one arm back into his bag and grasping his camera, Dipper proceeded into the wooded area, feeling the brush of leaves, twigs and foliage. His heart was a flutter as something continued to lure him into the growing darkness. At this moment, he felt something was wrong.

He jolted at the sound of his old walkie-talkie buzz to life, followed by the muffled voice of his sister. Stumbling over a fallen tree trunk, he fell into the mud, covering his boots, pants, and jacket as well as his hat falling off his head. Grumbling, he slipped the walkie-talkie from his bag, placing it front of his face and smiled gently.

"Hey, Mabel," Dipper hummed, resting his chin on one hand.

"Dipper! Where are you? We've got game night!" cheered Mabel, only slightly garbled by the static of the machine.

"I'm still running through the creek. Think I've found something new," grinned Dipper, pushing himself up. "Great, I'm covered in mud now."

"Mom's gonna be so pissed," snickered Mabel, voice fading in and out.

"Ever feel like…you're being led somewhere…for like a purpose?" mumbled Dipper, fixing the strap of the bag on his shoulder. "This place makes me feel like I'm back there…you know."

"I…think so…" murmured Mabel. "You're still gonna get me some pics, right?"

"Of course, Mabel. I'm just gonna walk a little further," nodded Dipper, continuing down the nonexistent path.

Holstering the walkie-talkie, Dipper felt the brush with his hands. They were soft, almost wet, and smelled of spring air. The musty odor, the simple light, the squish of his shoes sinking in the barely mud surface…they all reminded him of the mystery and enrichment that was Gravity Falls, a part of him that both filled him with happiness for family and friends but also with nightmares that still haunted him to this day.

A bird cascaded through the branches, echoing the sound of shattering stillness. Dipper stared up, watching the leaves ruffled and fluttered downward toward him. He heard the faintness of a twig snapping as the not so gentle steps of a fleeing being ran pass. Dipper quickly looked around, the feeling of something wrong spiraling around him.

"I didn't ask for this to really be Gravity Falls," gasped Dipper, spinning around in search of answers.

He stopped dead, eyes widened at the sight of a single tree standing in the woods. It was nothing special, wood darkened by the recent rain and branches handing low, it matched all the others around it. The reason this tree stuck out to Dipper was the marker cleverly carved into it. The smooth marks, brightly shown by the tan of the wood, moved cleanly in a perfect shape. Unmistakable.

"No way…" Dipper whispered, pulling his camera out.

It was impossible in thought but there was a perfect carved rendering of Bill Cipher, top hat and all. It was detailed, bricks along his bottom, bow tie darkened against the rest of him, arms stretching out. It could be nothing else. Dipper clicked the camera quickly, watching the flash illuminate the haunting image for a brief moment before cutting out.

"Gotta get out of here…" pleaded Dipper.

The animals around him scurried, suddenly creating an ocean of noise that sent Dipper's heart racing. He panted, looking around hastily. Shoving the camera back into his pocket, he took off swiftly. His boots meshed in the mud, sinking and sliding with each step until they finally touched solid road.

Still the image haunted him.


	2. II

Xszkgvi gdl: Ulitvg nv mlg

The door shut loudly and abruptly, forcing Mabel to sit up. Her room, adjacent to Dipper's, was small and brightly colored. She had happily painted it, partially without permission, a year or so back. Waddles wiggled his face into the crack of the door, pushing it open. Mabel called out, watching the curly pink tail flop down the stairs.

"Waddles, no!" shouted Mabel, scrambling to her feet. "Waddles get back here!"

"Mabel!" howled Dipper, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Mabel stood at the stop of the stairs, looking over her brother. He'd grown taller than her by now and his size had changed even within these short years. Shoulders wider and standing tall, he still shouldered a blue jacket, with pockets sown into them, and he had renewed his Gravity Falls cap, which Wendy had sent over through the mail upon request. These were the only constants with him, apart from his hair, which remained a ruffled mess as usual.

Dipper peered up at Mabel from the bottom of the stairs, holding off the playful pig at his heels. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, which typically meant she was working on some craft project be her sweaters or a scrapbook. The current sweater she was fashioning was an orange-yellow color and a lovely beach setting sewn into it. It flowed softly into her rainbow skirt, which easily twirled about as she moved.

"Dipper, what is it?" perked Mabel, seeing her brother's disheveled appearance.

Mud was slopped across his pants, sinking into his shoes, connecting them in a blob of brown up to his jacket, which was a lighter shade brown now. His hair was more fluttered than normal, with sticks and mud caked into it. His eyes were wide, hand clasped around the camera, his bag barely hanging onto his shoulder.

"Mabel…" panted Dipper, gently pushing Waddles to the side. "You…it's not…"

He galloped up the stairs, throwing his bag swiftly into the living room. Grabbing his sibling by the hand, he whisked her into his room, slamming the door shut behind them. After a moment, they could hear Waddles struggling to get in.

Dipper's room was rather dimly lit, due to the windows being covered in posters and such. Some of the posters included maps, scientists, some of McGucket's inventions, some images from Stan and Ford, and a variety of pictures photocopied from Mabel's Gravity Fall scrapbook. The rest of the wall space went into his theories such as aliens, bigfoot (which Mabel disagreed on), more info on Bill Cipher and prophecy circle, and finally a collection of pages straight from Ford during their adventures.

"Dipper, you should really get some lamps in here," hummed Mabel, smiling gently.

"Mabel, look at this!" gasped Dipper, pulling out his camera.

"Digital, for once?" perked Mabel.

"Yes," groaned Dipper, moving to his laptop. "Just look at this, will you?"

Dipper connected the camera to the laptop, opening up the series of images he'd captured from the week. The final image he highlighted and selected, opening up in a bigger file so as Mabel could see it. He could hear the audible gasp she gave, feeling her lean in on his chair. It felt as though a lump was lodged in his throat.

"How…?" Mabel whimpered.

"I don't know," Dipper whispered. "I found it when I was walking through the creek."

"It's clean cut," commented Mabel, leaning in over Dipper's shoulder.

"No way its natural. Someone made it," Dipper added.

"But I thought…only Gravity Fall people know about…him," Mabel spoke in a hushed tone, making a barely heard noise with the final word.

"I don't know…maybe someone from there came up here…?" groaned Dipper, leaning back, hands pressed to his chin.

"As far as I remember, only us, Great Uncle Stan and Great Uncle Ford ever left Gravity Falls," purred Mabel, leaving Dipper's shoulder to rest softly on Dipper's bed.

"It doesn't mean that no one else left there, right?" questioned Dipper, spinning around to face her. "We can try messaging Wendy and Soos. You could ask Grenda and Candy…"

Dipper, why can't we just leave this alone," pleaded Mabel, pulling her legs into her sweater. "Last time you dug into a mystery…well, you know how that ended."

"With the greatest, scariest summer of our known lives," whispered Dipper, eyes looking up the ceiling. "But still…it's Bill, Mabel. We can't let this slide!"

Mabel pulled her sweater up to her chin, looking softly as Dipper. At some point, he had grabbed a pen and began crunching on it. She knew exactly what was going to happen, making her grin. She waited a moment, carefully eyeing Dipper. He seemed oblivious to the fact, happily chewing on his pen until it erupted in his mouth with blue ink. He sputtered, throwing the pen to the ground, and quickly turned to grab a spare shirt to wipe his mouth.

Mabel giggled.

"I really should stop doing that," grumbled Dipper, throwing the shirt away.

"You really should," Mabel chirped.

"Anyway…Mabel, please," pleaded Dipper, kneeling on the bed before her. "Just ask them."

"Okay," whispered Mabel.

"Thank you," grinned Dipper.


	3. III

Xszkgvi gsivv: Hszwldh rm gsv dllwh

Dipper peered up at the sky, watching the clouds roll in yet again over the silhouette of the overhead branches. Mabel trailed behind him since only Dipper knew exactly where they were going. It this was just an average venture into the woods, she would be leading far out in front. Walking down the path as an easing pace, they retraced Dipper's steps from the day prior, searching for the point when he strayed off.

"How spooky would it be if it was gone?" commented Mabel, picking up an unusual looking stick from the ground. It was curled almost completely around.

"Don't…do that to me," groaned Dipper, pulling his hat down tighter onto his head.

"What if we're being followed?" chirped Mabel, sneaking up behind Dipper.

"Mabel, stop!" gasped Dipper, turning around just as Mabel pushed him forward.

Dipper stumbled backward until his heels collided with a fallen log, forcing him to fall backward. He splashed into the remains of a mud pile. Peering down at his newly soiled pants and jacket, he groaned, glaring up at Mabel. She covered her mouth.

"I…didn't know that was there," she grinned.

"Well," grumbled Dipper, getting to his feet. "We are going the right way."

"Is this how you got muddy yesterday?" perked Mabel.

"Yes," Dipper nodded, attempting to slop the chunk mud pieces off his jacket. "The tree should be near here."

Dipper helped Mabel over the log. In all actuality, he helped Mabel on top of the log and she jumped into the mud puddle, splashing it out onto Dipper. He remained still, slowly turning to glare at his sister once more. She laughed to the point of tears, body bent over in the greatest laughter Dipper had heard in a while. He smiled, watching her readjust herself.

"C'mon, you goof," he snickered. "It's right 'round here."

Truly, the tree marked with Bill Cipher was just beyond that point. Dipper stood afar from it, watching Mabel creep over to it. She ran her hand over the wood, feeling the clean edges and accurate representation of the demon. She stepped back, quickly glancing over at Dipper with the expression of horror.

"How…?" she whispered.

"I don't know," shrugged Dipper. "I'm gonna take more pictures."

"I'm…gonna step away," sighed Mabel, quickly stepping away from the tree.

Dipper watched her walk pass the tree, hand gently grazing each tree she passed for balance and reassurance. Dipper slipped his camera out, snapping three or four images of the Bill Cipher tree, a few with flash on and a few with it off. Just as he finished, he heard the nearby snap of branches.

"Mabel," called Dipper, looking around hastily. "Let's go…"

"Dipper!" howled Mabel from just up ahead.

"Mabel!" shouted Dipper, rushing over to where her voice had echoed.

She stood beside another tree. It was much smaller than the first but it bore a similar carved design. Though it was luckily not Bill Cipher it was similarly frightening to look at. It was careful representation of a six fingered hand, perfectly drawn like the one from Ford's old journals. Dipper gulped, slowly lifting his camera.

"Check the other trees," he choked.

"You don't think…" pleaded Mabel, rocking on her heels. "Like the…"

"Just check the trees," urged Dipper. "The sooner we can get away from here the better I'll feel."

Mabel nodded, dashing off to examine the other trees. After taking a quick picture of the six fingered carving, Dipper sighed, walking in the other direction so that the two would branch out in a circle around the Bill Cipher tree. If his fears were correct, there would be a tree for each symbol of those on the prophecy wheel. It felt like an eternity since he'd last laid eyes on it.

Sure enough, Dipper came across the symbol once associated with his Great Uncle Stan. It was beautifully carved into the tree just like the others. He ran his fingers along the lines, feeling them curve and deepen into the bark. It felt unreal or shockingly real, he couldn't decide. The branches shuttered, leaves rustling, twigs snapping. Dipper moved swiftly, snapping a picture of the image.

"Mabel, you find any more?" called Dipper, turning around.

Just at that moment, something jumped from the shadows, tackling Dipper to the ground. The camera flung into the air, landing on the ground with a minor crash and a bright flash. Dipper felt the small hands of this being wrapped around his arms. They pinned him in place, barely. Either way, it allowed him a good view of his assailant.

The man, barely out of his preteens it seemed, was scraggly and rather rough around the edges. His hair, a dirtied blond, was knotted and crushed with mud and the associated twigs sticking from it. His outfit was mostly just black, expect a single yellow mark on his left shoulder, though Dipper could not identify it. This man's eyes, though, were wide and almost deranged looking as they stared into Dipper's face.

"Get off!" howled Dipper, kicking the assailant off him.

The man tumbled away slightly, colliding with a nearby tree. Dipper rolled over, jumping to his feet just as the man was charging again. Dipper easily dodged out of the way, allowing the other to collide with another tree. Dipper couldn't help but snicker at the sight of this person continuingly bumping into trees. This time, however, seemed different. The man turned around slowly, grinning.

"Fwx eps xzrjwjetx apdr rvy fflwjs," chittered the being.

"Come again?" perked Dipper.

"Pine Tree?" snickered the person, charging forward again.

"What did you say?" gasped Dipper, stepping back into a tree.

The person rammed into Dipper's stomach, forcing them both to the ground. Once again Dipper was pinned, shoulders pressed into the leaves and dirt. This time the assailant was clever, using his knees to keep Dipper's legs down. Dipper snarled, struggling to trash about.

"You're him…aren't you?" whispered the being. "You're Pine Tree…"

"Who are you!?" shouted Dipper.

"I am merely a chosen child," hummed the being. "And you will bring our lord back…"

Dipper cringed as the person moved swiftly, using one leg to keep Dipper's arm down as the being pulled a switchblade from his pocket. Dipper growled, trying hard to move his arm. Looking to his side, he could see his camera sitting completely unsuspecting. Just beyond it were the shoes of his sister, covered in colored glue, stickers and marker ink. He looked up gently, seeing her face peer around a tree with branch in hand.

"Who is your 'lord' pray tell?" grinned Dipper.

"You should know…you tried to banish him," snickered the being, raising the switchblade's knife into the air.

Mabel swung with as much strength as she good muster, knocking the person over and allowing him to tumble quite a distance. Dipper scrambled to his feet, snatching his camera and grabbing Mabel by the wrist. They both ran, attempting to not trip or stumble, hoping that whomever that person was they weren't following. The trees seemed to overshadow them, stretching up into the sky like demon shadows, crying out with a bang of thunder.

"Who was that?" Mabel finally shouted.

"I don't know…but they called me Pine Tree…" snarled Dipper.

"Pine Tree…" repeated Mabel.

"He knew…" whimpered Dipper, releasing Mabel's wrist. "What is even happening?"


	4. IV

Xszkgvi ulfi: Szfmgvw Nvnlirvh

Dipper sat at his desk, backing up the file of the pictures three times in separate folders on his computer and flash drive in hopes of never being robbed of such information like before. As the night was drawing near, he switched his desk side lamp, illuminating a small portion of his room and casting an even deeper shadow upon the rest of it. He could feel the heat of the bulb, causing a minor sweat to form on his brow. He tossed his hat onto his bed, wiping his forehead dry.

"Dipper…"

He turned around, facing Mabel in the doorway. She was dressed in her gown, which was a lightened shade of pink. Her hair was let go, draped down off her shoulders and reaching down to just lightly touching her arms. She cradled her chest in her arms, eyes pointed at the floor.

"Mabel…did I keep you up?" yawned Dipper, turning his computer to sleep.

"It's late, aren't you going to bed?" whimpered Mabel, looking gently up at him.

"I just want to finish this. Trying to keep notes…" nodded Dipper.

"Adding this to your journals?" grinned Mabel. "You should send a copy to Grunkle Ford."

"They never really stay in one place long," sighed Dipper, rubbing his eyes. "Did you see what they said in the last card?"

He reached over to his bedside table, opening a drawer to find a stack of postcards. Picking the one of the top, he tossed it the best he could to Mabel. She listed it from the bed, grinning at the colorful picture on the front of the card. It was a cliché image from Stockholm, though it was lovely image of a waterfront, which Mabel loved to look at. On the other side was a long in-depth story written in Ford's impeccable handwriting. It spoke of some runes found of a tree, none of which interested Mabel in the slightest. Though, Grunkle Stan added some notes at the end saying hello and that he missed them both.

"I don't think I get all the science and stuff," shrugged Mabel, tossing it back onto the bed.

"More legends than science," corrected Dipper, grinning lightly. "It sounds interesting. Wish I could see it in real life."

"Maybe someday…" hummed Mabel, sitting on the bed. "Maybe they'll come visit and take us on an adventure and…"

Dipper yawned again, listening to Mabel trail off. He loved listening to her talk sometimes as she spoke with such fire and passion that often time he could not muster even in pretend. He envied her faith.

"Dipper?"

He looked quickly, seeing Mabel stare at him deeply. She looked sad at him, eyes watery and weary from lack of sleep. It was late. He'd kept her up again with his talking as usual. He didn't mean to most of the time but he did love talking to someone who would at least pretend to listen to him ramble.

"Do you…still have…the nightmares?" gulped Mabel, looking away.

"The nightmares…" repeated Dipper, closing his eyes.

For quite some time after the events of Gravity Falls, they both shared similar nightmares. They were being chased through endless halls, running among the endless shadows. The darkness nipped at their heels, screeching in the night as the voice that could not be forgotten called them out by their prophecy names. Even now, in the waking moment, Dipper could hear it. Bill Cipher, in a monstrous form, chased them down the halls, crashing his hands and feet into the walls, floor and ceiling.

 _"Pine Tree! Shooting Star!"_

Dipper groaned, opening his eyes and standing up abruptly. Mabel sighed, turning toward the door and the darkness that lie beyond it. Such realist nightmares that haunted them both. It faded, with time, but every now and then it would rise again and haunt them, Dipper more than Mabel.

"You should go the bed," offered Dipper, standing before the covered window.

"I just want to know if you'll actually go to sleep," Mabel sheepishly grinned. "I won't be able to go to sleep if you don't."

"Ever wish we shared rooms like back when were kids?" chuckled Dipper. "Like when we were in the Mystery Shack."

"Sometimes," purred Mabel. "But then again, I kinda like having my own room. No crazy conspiracy theories covering the walls."

"No crazy pinups on mine," retorted Dipper, turning to face her.

"Far enough," chuckled Mabel, standing up. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," nodded Dipper.

She hung around the doorway, hand rubbing against the wood.

"Promise me you'll sleep," she pleaded. "Please."

"I will," agreed Dipper. "Promise."

Mabel chuckled lightly, looking up toward the sky. "Mystery twins?"

Dipper smiled, chuckling as well. "Mystery twins."


	5. V

Xszkgvi urev: dliwh rm gsv dzooh

On Dipper's walk home, he hastily avoided his typical adventure through the woods. Keeping his head down, he walked quickly and moved through the streets, admiring the leaves on the ground and random spots of dried up gum. After a moment of relaxation, avoiding the thought about the Bill Cipher tree and the other symbols, he looked around and enjoyed scenery.

"Wonder if…they'd ever come home to visit?" whispered Dipper, looking around.

Peering around at the trees and bushes, Dipper stopped to notice a new fence being put into place. It was a pretty white, rounded bars and neatly placed to close off the deck. It looked nice with the little house, but something made him stare at it longer, another feeling of something being wrong. He gulped, wanting to turn away but he couldn't turn away without finding why it intrigued him so.

"No…" snarled Dipper, pulling down his hat.

Engraved into the white painted wood was small numbers; arranged in a pattern that Dipper could only assume was a cipher. He pulled out his notebook from his jacket's inside pocket, finding a tiny pencil in his pocket, he finally managed to jot down the numbers in order. 3-9-16-8-5-18 12-9-22-5-19 19-20-9-12-12. He nodded, hiding all the items away and continued along his way, contemplated what the code was. It was code he recognized but couldn't remember off the top of his head.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, singing out a lovely song that Dipper always forgot was on his phone. He fumbled it out from his pocket, quickly putting it to his ear. He didn't need to look at the ID. Based on the song alone he figured it had to be either Wendy or Mabel. Seeing as activating the call wasn't followed by a squeaky cry, it was most likely Wendy.

"Hey," Dipper replied.

"Hey, Dipper!" Wendy cheered. "Saw your email."

"You could've just emailed back," offered Dipper.

"I just had to be sure…was it really…you know…him?"

"I sent the picture. I'm not joking, Wendy," gulped Dipper. "Grenda and Candy said they haven't heard or seen anything related to you know who."

"I didn't think this would get out of this weird-o town!" shouted Wendy. "Man…this sucks."

"You're not even here to see it," groaned Dipper.

"Dude, I'll ask around a little more to make sure. I'm sure everyone is gonna help out with this mess."

"Thanks, Wendy," nodded Dipper, even though he knew Wendy could not see it.

"Talk to ya later, man," signed off Wendy, hanging up.

"Yeah…" sighed Dipper, shoving his phone back into his pocket. "I wish this whole thing would just go away."

Dipper continued on his way, eventually making home. His parents were still at work and Mabel was away at a club meeting, leaving the house to himself and Waddles. He tossed his bag onto the couch, slumping over onto the chair. He groaned, shutting his eyes and slumping further. Waddles began nibbling on his shoes. He didn't even try to stop the oversized pig.

"I'm so done with this," mumbled Dipper, quickly jumping to his feet.

He found his mother's "to do" list on the counter, which included a list of chores for Dipper to do. He reluctantly returned outside so as to clean the windows and water the grass as instructed. It wasn't his favorite activity but he didn't like twirling his thumbs either. If Mabel came home to find him doing that, she'd kill him. Upon opening the front door, however, Waddles rushed out.

"Waddles, no!" called Dipper, chasing after him.

The pig ran around the yard in circles before wiggling himself into a bush. Dipper groaned, getting onto his hands and knees to pursue Waddles into the bush. Behind the bush was the wood of the deck and a rather small hole into the foundation of the house. Waddles was stuck in the hole. Dipper rolled his eyes, reaching out and grabbing the pig by the butt. The little pink tail wiggled rapidly as the pig squealed.

"C'mon Waddles, I'm just trying to help…" mumbled Dipper.

Waddles squeezed through the hole, disappearing into the depths of the underside of the deck. Dipper rested his head on one hand, letting out a deep sigh. The grass was wet from the daily watering required by their parents, which made Dipper's outfit yet again muddy. It seemed to be a usual event nowadays.

"This has just not been my week," he sighed.

Dipper propped himself up, preparing to wiggle out of the bush, but stopped as his eyes met with the flat of the wood. Engraved into the wood was another cipher. Dipper rolled his eyes, digging his notebook and pencil out of his inside pocket. Wklv krxvh lv surwhfwhg eb wkh Slqhv idplob was the first line and then switched to a different cipher, which read Qqyp Uxxuij lif hwumnxws jl jgjz bj lwmfi ztzbik. He couldn't make sense of it right now but he had amassed a vast collection of ciphers and decryption plans. Tucking the notebook away, Dipper laid back down in the mud.

"I still have to get the pig," he murmured, glaring into the darkness under the deck.


	6. VI

Xszkgvi hrc: Ivgfim lu gdl Hgzmh

The night was stormy, more so than lately. The clouds were thick and dark, overflowing with shadows and darkness, trailing thick raindrops. Lightning danced around, leaping from cloud to cloud and occasionally striking the ground with such force it let out a shattering bang. Somehow, much to Dipper's surprise, Mabel was able to sleep through the whole ordeal. He envied her ability to sleep so heavily.

He remained awake, sitting in bed, once again reading a mystery novel. He had learned from past mistakes and grievances to leave his pens on his desk and shirt out of his mouth when reading such things. Smuggled into the pages of the novel were the written ciphers he'd found and a small note from his deciphering manual. Upon close observation, it was the wrong note and was ultimately no help in deciphering this specific could. Not that he was truly focusing on it.

"He…can't be back."

The storm outside let out another bark, flashing across his window. Dipper hardly noticed it. Thumbing his novel for more notes from his deciphering manual, he was reminded of the Caesar cipher, one of the easiest ciphers he was able to find, apart from the simplest cipher whereas you switch a with z and so forth. These were easy ciphers. He believed he had matured pass them.

The tree outside started scratching at his window, along with the muffled sound of something else batting at his glass. He ignored it, associating it with the storm. The rain sounded as though it was growing heavier, beating on the roof. Dipper rolled over, tossing his book onto his desk. The light from the desk lamp remained on, illuminating the desk and part of his bed. More importantly, it shone on his lucky hat, spotlighting the iconic pine tree on the white fabric.

"Pine Tree…" Dipper whispered, rolling onto his back.

He could still feel it, when he closed his eyes. The smell of the trees and Uncle Stan, the clear sky, the grass between his feet, the adventure on his heels. Everything seemed so close and yet felt an eternity away. Even thinking about, he could feel his heart racing and his blood pumping, with Gideon or Bill or some other monster chasing after him. He could feel his Mabel at his side.

There was another rap at the window. This time, Dipper could not ignore it. He slowly rolled out of bed and moved to the window. Throwing open the blinds, he peered down into the shadowy night of the storm. Staring into the abyss, Dipper almost returned to bed, had it not been for another flash of lightning. With a sudden rise of light, Dipper pressed his face up against the glass in surprise at the sight of both his great uncles standing in the rain. Grunkle Stan was holding the rocks. Grunkle Ford was holding an umbrella, which Stan refused to stand under.

Dipper threw open the window, sticking his head out into the rain. Stan dropped his collection of rocks, slicking his wet hair back. They both offered a wave. Dipper sighed but grinned.

"What are you two doing here!?" Dipper shouted, hoping to get his voice through the storm.

"Ford thinks something's wrong!" replied Stan.

"Let us in!" added Ford.

"Alright," chuckled Dipper, closing the window.

He opened the backdoor, allowing his soggy uncles to enter. They each formed their own puddles on the floor. Ford rested his umbrella against the door. Stan took off his coat, placing it on the nearby rack. Having taken off the heaviest of his clothing, he took this chance to give Dipper a hug. Naturally, he was still very wet and managed to soak Dipper's clothes instantly. Ford simply offered him a pat on the shoulder.

"How are you doing, my boy!" cheered Ford.

"Well, right now I'm tired," yawned Dipper. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Something's up!" announced Ford. "I was doing research not far from here when I noticed some odd messages in nearby houses."

"You'd never guess who's ugly mug showed up," grumbled Stan, crossing his arms.

"Bill," whispered Dipper.

"You know?" perked Ford.

"He's been appearing around here too. Symbols of him, the circle, even ciphers!" Dipper explained. "We…we even got attacked."

"We?" Stan gaped. "You mean Mabel's caught up in this too?"

"She's been helping," nodded Dipper. "She wanted to forget it but…after that guy attacked us, there wasn't exactly a chance to turn back."

"Someone attacked you?" Ford hummed. "What did they look like? Did they say anything?"

"He…called me pine tree…" mumbled Dipper, looking away.

Stan and Ford stepped back.

"He said he was…this chosen child. Something about bring back…" Dipper snarled. "He's working with Bill…or some cult of his."

"A cult of Bill worshippers outside of Gravity Falls?" offered Ford, rubbing his chin. "This is just getting more and more interesting."

"By interesting you mean dangerous," Stan snapped. "I don't want to get involved in this mess again!"

"We never left it, Stanly," nodded Ford, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We have to look after the kids. Not that they need much looking after."

Dipper grinned.

"How're your parents doing?" Stan questioned.

"Oh…yeah," murmured Ford, looking around. "I never met them, have I?"

"Do they even know about you?" perked Dipper.

Dipper and Stan turned and stared at Ford. The sound of the storm echoed on, flicking outside the backdoor's protection. Ford shrugged, crossing his arms.

"We need to focus on this cult and get to work," he instructed.

"We should probably tell your folks that we're here," Stan corrected.

"There's some spare blankets in the closet," offered Dipper, "I'll go ask them."

"They'll be half asleep!" called Ford.

"That's the idea," Dipper and Stan spoke in unison.

Ford glared at his brother. Stan simply grinned, motioning for his brother to follow him into the next room. Dipper slipped upstairs carefully, making as little noise as he could, not that it mattered in this storm. Mabel's room door had opened and Waddles was making his way out, sniffing the air. Dipper knelt down, pressing a finger to his lips.

"Keep quiet, Waddles. Stan and Ford are downstairs," Dipper instructed.

Waddles snorted, tucking himself back into Mabel's room. Dipper smirked, nodding at his own accomplishments. His parents' room was right next to Mabel's. Opening it gently, Dipper peered in to see his parents snoozing softly. He stepped in, moving silently to their bedside. His mother stirred but his father remained like a rock. Dipper stood beside the bed, squinting in attempt to find his parents in the shadows.

"Mom?"

His mother awoke quickly, sitting up. She looked around, half in a daze, eventually laying eyes on Dipper. She offered a weary grin for him. He smiled back at her. She patted his hand, no doubt still half asleep.

"What is it, honey?" she mumbled.

"Can Great Uncle Stan and Great Uncle Ford stay here?" Dipper whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Stan and Ford. Our Great Uncles," repeated Dipper, leaning in a bit further.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course, sweetie."

With that she slumped back into bed and was snoring soon after. He grinned in a way that Mabel called devilish. He slipped out of the room easily. Closing the door and turning around, he yelped as Mabel stood before him. She giggled.

"You scream like a girl," she remarked.

"I do not!" snapped Dipper.

"Kids! Quit fighting!" called out Stan.

"Wait…was that Stan?" perked Mabel, glancing down the stairs.

"And Ford," nodded Dipper, pressing a finger to his lips. "Don't say anything."

"What about mom and dad!" gasped Mabel. "They thought Stan was dead and by Stan I mean Ford or rather Stan pretending to Ford was alive but Stan died…"

"Mabel just stop," sighed Dipper. "They won't get that and there's no way we can explain it like that."

"But…do they know about them staying here?" whimpered Mabel.

"I just told them," nodded Dipper, hands on his hips.

"You are gonna be so dead in the morning," yawned Mabel, reentering her room. "Don't wake Waddles up. He needs his rest."

"Well, I'm soooooorry," mocked Dipper.

Mabel shut the door. Dipper yawned, moving softly to the top of the staircase. The lights downstairs remained off and he could already hear the sounds of Stan snoring. He took one step down before Ford appeared at the bottom. The old man waved Dipper off.

"Go back to sleep. We can talk in the morning," he instructed.

"Night," Dipper replied.

"Sleep well," nodded Ford, returning to the shadows.

Dipper yawned once more and then returned to his room, shutting the door behind him. The storm had softened.


	7. VII

A/N

If you haven't seen my profile, I will tell you that my computer fuzzed out and I lost everything, including everything I had on this story and any other. So...gonna keep winging it. Lost some of my ciphers and stuff but I think I can manage.

xszkgvi hvevm: Zdpdziw Vckozmzgrlmh

Dipper couldn't remember exactly when he fell asleep, but he knew exactly when he woke up. He woke to the sound of arguing and pounding on his door. Rolling over, groggily, he raised his head just above his pillow. The pounding on his door was familiar, based on the tempo and strength it was likely his father. Not the most talkative of people, his father didn't express his anger verbally but through body language. Dipper groaned, registering the amount of banging as a bad thing. He rolled out of bed, stepping awkwardly to the door and opening it. Sure enough, his father stood there, a good inch taller, eyes narrowed.

"Did you know about this?" he snapped, pointing at the stairs.

"Huh?" Dipper mumbled wearily.

"Dipper!"

Mabel's voice was piercing when it needed to be, something she inherited from their mother. His father and he peered slowly down the stairs. Knowing the trouble he was in, Dipper slipped pass his father and headed downstairs. Sitting in the living was Mabel in between Stan and Ford as well as his mother handing out drinks. They all gave him an awkward glance and smile, obviously being in an unwanted situation. His father stood behind him.

"Good morning," his mother hummed.

"Sleep well, my boy?" Ford perked. "Didn't mean to wake you up…"

"Especially since you were up all night again," huffed their father, stepping pass him.

"I'm sorry, dad," Dipper sighed, hunching over.

"There really isn't any need to get all worked up right now…" Stan grumbled, sipping his drink.

"We just weren't…expecting a visit," their mother sighed. "I'm sorry, why are you here again?"

"We have to visit our favorite kids!" cheered both Ford and Stan, almost as if they practiced.

Mabel grinned, feeling proud of herself. Stan ruffled her hair. Ford rolled his eyes, folding his arms, but his grin agreed with Stan. The three of them seemed very proud and happy to be together again. Dipper smiled lightly, wishing he could slip in next to Mabel, reminiscing about their adventures. He felt his father at his side. Reality was setting back in.

"I could have sworn I only had one uncle," grumbled dad, stepping up to his wife.

"I've been…out of the loop for a while," Ford coughed. "Stanley here has kept me up to date though!"

"I thought Stanley was the one that died?" whispered mom.

"Well, you know twins," interjected Mabel, voice breaking slightly, "hard to tell them apart! Remember when you couldn't tell Dipper and me apart?"

"Dipper…" sighed mom, shaking her head, "I enjoy the nicknames as much as the next but can't we just call him by his actual name…"

"Nicknames aren't just short, they're a part of you," Ford explained, "Especially for twins, it can be the one thing that separates you from them."

"Them?" mouthed Stan.

Ford nodded, jabbing him in the rib and glancing at the parents. Stan groaned, nodding too. The four of them provided forced smiles to the parents. The two adults out of the loop sighed and shook their heads.

"Sorry to inconvenience you," Ford offered, jumping to his feet and clapping his hands together. "We really should've announced ourselves before we got here, but we did ask you last night, perhaps you remember?"

The two looked confused.

"I did ask you last night," Dipper gulped. "You said it was fine."

The two exchanged looks.

"We won't cause too much trouble," Stan grinned. "You know you can trust me. I spent a couple summers with the kids, this is only fair, right?"

"Room and board, not too much to ask?" Ford hummed. "You wouldn't send your old uncles out on the road, eh?"

Dipper smiled, watching his parents frown. They exchanged looks, apparently speaking mentally between each other. After a moment of silence, their father groaned loudly and marched away. They heard the front door open and shut. Their mother sighed, smiling lightly and shrugging. She left, taking some of the empty glasses and cleaning up as she went.

"Looks like we won," Stan chuckled.

"Now, Dipper," Ford perked, rounding the couch to stand beside him. "You said something about seeing things around here, symbols, circle, ciphers…"

"Yeah, I've got pictures and notes," nodded Dipper, "…upstairs."

"Notes and pictures are one thing, but they can never shine a light compared to seeing it in real life," Ford nodded. "Let's get out here. Let your parents talk things out."

"Field trip!" cheered Mabel.

"Haven't been here in years," Stan grinned. "Must've been before you kids were born."

"Sounds like a good story," winked Ford.

"I know the way," Dipper nodded, looking down at himself. "But I should get dressed first."

"Probably," Mabel snickered. Dipper ran upstairs. "Don't forget your hat!"


End file.
